Manchester City are launching a bid for Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci.

The Mirror says City have seen off Antonio Conte's Chelsea to land the centre-back and are set to close their mega-money transfer.

It is said that City have held talks with Juve over the past 24 hours with the Italian champions insisting they will not sell for less than £50m.

But new City boss Pep Guardiola has not been put off and his club are now ready to shell out the staggering amount.

Guardiola sees Bonucci as a pivotal part of his plans for next season and believes he will become a key figure in his defence with the ongoing concerns over Vincent Kompany's fitness.